Shadow of the Sun
by Tessabe
Summary: Raialla finds that sometimes a question will lead to more answers than you can handle.
1. Default Chapter

**This is one I started awhile ago, the world is Mercedes Lackey's the story is mine, the title becomes clearer later. I tried to fix this, I hope it looks better. **

Ch 1 Summer Dreams

Raialla swept the floor of the kitchen coughing a bit as the dust raised caught in her throat. After she finished she grabbed the bucket with the old wash water and poured the lukewarm soapy water, watching as it ran down the slight incline towards the door that led to the alley.

As early as it was, the days heat shimmered in the air: reminding her of the dreams she had been having the last few weeks. These days it seemed that she could smell the smoke even when she was awake. It was unnerving.

The only reason she was sweeping the kitchen herself, was because of the dream she had last night. When she was disturbed she often wanted something physical to do to keep her mind occupied.

She sighed to herself. There was no one she could confide in. She had to be careful, there were those who would be watching for any weakness.

She was very young to own an inn, especially one as popular as the Silver Kettle . If her Father's will hadn't been ironclad her Uncle and his sons would have been glad to take over. They often came around, drinking her best wine and trying to give unwanted advice certain that she was desperate to hand everything over to them. It hadn't happened yet, but they never seemed to lose their certainty.

Hope springs eternal she thought to herself with a grin. Already the good smells of the days bread baking and the stew that was always simmering at the kitchen hearth filled the Tavern. She looked over at the cook and her assistant working on the morning porridge for the breakfast crowd.

They seemed to have everything in order so she left the kitchen and went to check the main room. Though it was almost time to open for the public there were already a few men at the tables, guests from the rooms above.

She frowned looking at the two women in the room. Their gaudy gowns looked out of place in the dim morning light. She didn't like the work they did, but they were good customers.

In fact they were one of the bones of contention her Uncle had with her. She merely rented them rooms in her Inn. Her uncle wanted her to demand a portion of their profits.

While she knew that most of the other Inns did that, she didn't like the idea of taking their hard earned wages. She didn't even charge them for protection it was part of renting their rooms. She knew that they brought in more business for her. She didn't need to take more than that.

Since the main dining area looked good she nodded at the servers and started up the stairs to check with the maids before going to her office.

She had been at the figures for a couple of candlemarks when one of the servers knocked on her door. She looked up and smiled, it was Nallie one of her favorites.

"Raialla, please come downstairs there is a problem with one of the customers"

Nallie looked worried. Raialla stood and shook out her cramped hands before following

Nallie to the door separating her and the staff from the guests. "What is the problem " she asked Nallie as they made their way down the cramped back stairway.


	2. Chapter 2 Trouble in Paradise

Ch 2 Trouble in Paradise

Raialla asked Nallie again, when she began to hear raised voices as they got closer to the main floor. "It's the Holderkin" she said. Raialla grimaced, that's all Nallie had to say, they came through about twice a year and every time they did, they caused trouble.

She was getting to the point of banning them from the Inn, they were hardly worth the trouble. "What they do this time" she asked.

"They've accused the Karsite traders, of stealing" Nallie said, distress on her face.

Raialla sighed "At least, they didn't threaten Parenna and Dena again".

"I think they're working up to that" Nallie said with a grin.

"They'd better not or they'll have to find another place to stay" Raialla said.

Nallie laughed "That would serve them right, the only other Inn is the Red Barrel, and I wouldn't send my worst enemy there. The beds have fleas and the beer would gag a goat".

Raialla laughed "You don't have enemies" she said when she could talk.

She pushed throught the door to the kitchen and quickly walked through to the door leading to the commom room.

This was bad, she saw at once. Her bouncer was outnumbered and the leaders of the two groups were shouting in each others face. She saw one of the Holderkin fingering his beer mug looking like he was ready to throw it.

"Don't you dare" she said, the anger in her voice making it carry in the room. The sound of a female voice caught the attention of the two men. She walked right up to them and looked at them directly not backing down even when the Holderkin man loomed over her and bunched his fists as if he wanted to hit her.

It was Bertel, it would have to be she thought to herself. "You do" she said in a warning tone as she narrowed her eyes at him " and you can forget ever staying here again, as of now you are on probation, one more incident and you're out".

He opened his mouth and she interupted "I mean it, annoy me at your own risk, this isn't your land, if you cause trouble here, I'm sending out warning to all the other Inns in this part of Valdemar, you'll be lucky if you can stay in some farmer's barn, your choice" she said crossing her arms and staring him down.

He scowled, but backed down. "Good choice" she told him, then she turned her attention to the Karsite.

She looked at him, his mouth was open too, but with surprise, Raialla sighed, she knew what she looked like, at seventeen, she was short for her age, her curley blond hair was escaping the braid she had put it in. She was cursed, or blessed as some would put it to look like one of those china dolls she had seen with the daughter of a noble who had passed through. She even had the large blue eyes, she thought with disgust.

He closed his mouth and bowed his head "My lady parden me please" he said his karsite accent flavoring his words.

She nodded. "As long as you and your people follow the rules of this Inn" she said mollified that he wasn't making this harder than it had to be.

She heard the holderkin laughing at Bertel, great she thought to herself now she was going to have to watch her back when he was in town.

"The owner, you are" the Karsite asked, surprise in his voice.

"Yes" she said.

He smiled "It was for you, we came, Raialla, you are" he asked.

"Yes, how is it you're looking for me by name" she asked waving him over to a table far from the group of holderkin.

"A message, I have" he said.

"Oh, who from" she asked.

He pulled out a large bundle of papers from his shoulderbag "Stavenitch, he is" he said as he handed her the tightly rolled bundle.

"Oh, the Sunpriest" she said surprised.

He nodded and patted her shoulder then he rose joining his men. She stared at the papers wondering why Stavenitch would be writing her. She shook her head and stood up to leave, back through the kitchen door with the bundle of papers tucked under her arm..


	3. Chapter 3 An Answer to a Question

Ch 3 An Answer to a Question

In her office Raialla sat and put the thick bundle of papers on the desk before her, she bent down and rummaged through the basket of odds and ends she kept by the desk, there it was. She pulled out the small knife she used for things like this. Turning the bundle around, she found where it was fastened and carefully sliced it open. Soon she found several bundles inside and a letter from Stavinitch, she frowned then read the letter.

Raialla, I enjoyed my stay at your Inn, and the talk that we had about you're having Karsite blood on your Mother's side stayed with me. When I returned to Karse I decided to look up any information I could find on the grandmother you were named for. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what I've found. I have enclosed a genealogy and other papers containing information about your family. I will enjoy talking to you about this when next I return to your lovely Inn.

Sincerely Stavinitch May the Sun lord shine upon you

Raialla wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or scared. She remembered the stories as a young child about her grandmother fleeing Karse so as not to be burned as a witch. She had known things before they happened. One too many times she told what she knew and had to flee.

She had only told Stavinitch about her heritage because he had commented on her Karsite name, and the fact they didn't burn people anymore. Being in Valdemar rather than Karse helped too.

She sat looking at the packets for a short time before sighing and picking the first one up. Not looking at them wouldn't make them go away. She slit it open and pulled out the genealogy chart. Luckily her grandmother had insisted that she and her mother learn her native tongue, both spoken and written.

Stavinitch had been thrilled to have a host who could speak his tongue, it had been useful. This close to the Karsite border they had groups of Karsite come from time to time, when they learned that she spoke their tongue they had taken to stopping at her inn. It helped she made many of her grandmother's recipes, so they had a little taste of home. She had insisted that her servers learn at least the basic spoken Karsite so that they would make their guest more welcome. Most of them didn't protest and some came for lessons in written Karsite.

In fact some of the other business leaders, when they had heard of her lessons, sent their children to learn it as well, now that trade was opening it paid to learn everything you could about new customers.

She looked at the chart frowning, this can't be right, she thought. This was a noble family and her grandmother appeared to be the only one who had children in her generation, the son had died young. It appeared to have happened while he was in the army. She saw her grandmother's name and in a newer ink she saw someone had added her mother and herself. "Oh" she exclaimed. That made it official, especially if a Sun priest was the one writing it in.

As she looked back further, to her shock she saw the family had strong ties of kinship to the royal family in Karse. This was a major family she thought her jaw dropping open as she read. This can't be happening, her grandmother had never mentioned any of this.

With shaking hands she put the genealogy aside and opened the next packet, it contained sketches. ......it was almost like looking into a dark mirror, the woman in the sketch looked much like her but with the dark Karsite coloring. She turned it over and saw a note for her on the back.

Raialla, I had someone sketch some of the paintings of your family, this was your grandmother as a young woman.

She looked at the next sketch, according to the note on the back it was her great uncle, the one who had died. She could see the family resemblance.

She thumbed through the rest fascinated by these people who looked so familiar, but not.

Finally she opened the last packet, it was smaller than the others, It was a copy of the deed to the property and lands of her grandmother's family. To her shock her name had been added to the document. She shook her head in disbelief, she owned property in Karse.

Finally there was another small note from Stavinitch.

Raialla, when your great uncle died and it appeared that your line had died, everything went to the Sun priests. When my research uncovered your heritage, I appealed to the Son of the Sun on your behalf and the property was returned to you. Perhaps in the past this would not have happened, but Solaris has been trying to right the wrongs of the past. I regret that the estate has been somewhat reduced these last fifty years, but I think you will find it substantial nonetheless. Stavinitch

Raialla sat in shock at this news, she had known the money for the Inn had come originally from her grandmother, but she had never imagined this.


End file.
